June
June 1
Chapter 3, Verse 13, con’t, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.”
ὅτι γέγραπται: Ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου, hoti gegraptai: Epikataratos pas ho krememenos epi xylou, “for it is writeen, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” The verb γράφω, grapho, here gegrapti, is used in the perfect tense indicating this writing (phrase) is settled in history by God’s already written word. In the New American Standard Bible, it is in all caps because Paul was quoting the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 21:22-23, “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God.” The noun ξύλον, xulon, speaking of anything made of wood including trees, boards, or a cross, was used here instead of the normal word for cross (stauros) because xulon would be more familiar to Jewish readers. The reason for this graphic depiction is simple and profound; the Jews of Moses day, who found a person guilty of a crime deserving death, executed them by crucifixion and left them on the “tree” all day to represent rejection by God. The was the worst, most infamous form of torture and execution used for the most profane criminals. At Golgotha, when Jesus was hanging between to such men, he cried out to his Father, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) It was necessary to Jesus to bear the sin of mankind and just as necessary for the Father to turn his back on him. His vicarious death, burial, and triumphant resurrection offer us salvation–if we accept it.
June 2
Chapter 3, Verse 13, con’t, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.”
EXCURSUS — Why (for what purpose) did Jesus redeem us–in a practical sense?
In Ephesians 5, we are told to imitate God, to walk in love, to avoid immorality and jealousy, and to use language befitting a believers (vss. 1-10). In verse 15-16, we are told, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” “Making the best use” is ἐξαγοραζόμενοι, exagorazomenoi, “redeeming.” This is the same word used in Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us. . .” Once again, ἐξαγοράζω, exagorazó, combines ek which intensifies, as in “completely out from,” and ἀγοράζω, agorazó = “buy up at the marketplace.” Literally, it means to “take full advantage of a buying opportunity” and that is why Jesus said of himself, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). This word redeem, buy back, can also be rendered ransom, to rescue from loss. This is what Paul is strongly advising us to do with the time we have as we live our lives in the presence of others. In other words, do not do the dumb, sinful stuff of the flesh. Rather, invest the goodness of God that is part of our own lives into the lives of others–pray for them (in their presence), teach them the word, model for them what it looks like to be a believer and servant of Christ. In short, do the good works that follow salvation. After all, Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
June 3
Chapter 3, Verse 14, “so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”
There are three clear issues in this verse: “in Christ,” “the blessing of Abraham,” and “receive the promised spirit.” In practical order, the first is the blessing of Abraham. What is it? It refers to the divine promises and covenants made to Abraham by God in Genesis 12:2-3, “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” These blessings were not only for Abraham’s direct descendants, but for all nations (Gentiles) through Christ. God promised to Abraham that his descendants would become a great nation, a people with significant influence and power. Abraham’s name would be renowned and respected, and he would become known for his faith and obedience to God. Abraham was to be a source of blessing to all nations, meaning God would pour out his favor upon them through Abraham’s lineage. God promised to bless those who bless Abraham and curse those who curse him, indicating divine protection for those who align with his covenant. The blessings Abraham are also understood to include spiritual blessings, he greatest of which is salvation through Jesus, who is Abraham’s seed. And Abraham’s descendants were chosen to carry God’s redemptive plan for the world, extending the message of salvation to all nations. Essentially, the blessing of Abraham is a powerful promise of God favor, protection, and redemptive plan, extending to all who accept Jesus as Savior and Lord.
June 4
Chapter 3, Verse 14, con’t, “so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”
ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, en Christō Iēsou, “in Christ Jesus.”
Being in Christ or in Christ Jesus in the simplest way means a believer is united with the Lord Jesus, both spiritually and in their identity. In signifies a close relationship with him where they share in his death and resurrection, are forgiven of sins, and are part of the new, redeemed community of believers. Colossians 3:1-3, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Hidden with Christ means our soul is safe in the care of God. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one” (John 10:27-30). Not only are we safe, we are also new. 2 Corinthians 5:16-19, “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” And because we are made new with this ministry of reconciliation, Paul said we are “ambassadors for Christ.” Our mandate is clear. We are to share our faith with others so that they, too, may be in Christ. The very best part of being in Christ, though, is reflected in Romans 8:1-3, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.” We have spiritual freedom because of what Jesus did for us and when we accept him as Savior and Lord, the wrath of God is eternally removed from our lives. These truths should make us yearn to lead others to faith in Christ.
June 5
Chapter 3, Verse 14, con’t, “so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”
ἵνα τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ Πνεύματος λάβωμεν διὰ τῆς πίστεως, hina tēn epangelian tou Pneumatos labōmen dia tēs pisteōs, “so that the promise of the Spirit we might receive through faith.” This verse is two hina clauses (result) “so that” connected to verse 13, “Christ redeemed us. . .so that” Gentiles are blessed in Abraham just like Jews, and because of our faith, we Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit into our lives when we are saved. When Christ gave his life at Calvary, darkness came over the earth and the veil of separation in the temple that kept man away from the Law was torn in half so that anyone could enter the most holy place. Jesus said he didn’t come to destroy the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17-20). When he paid the price for our sin, he opened the door for us to receive the promise. λαμβάνω, lambano = to take (grasp) or receive; here, the idea is to lay hold of by actively accepting what is offered. ἐπαγγελία, epaggelia = a promise, that which is fitting to receive. The key to receiving the promise is faith. Jesus said, In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:1-5). Then he said, “So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” Acts 1:6-8). These were his last words before he ascended back into heaven. The new covenant in Christ fulfilled the old covenant in Abraham and made all the blessings of God, the greatest of which is eternal life, available to everyone who, by faith, accepts Jesus as Savior and Lord, and subsequently is indwelled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
June 6
Chapter 3, Verse 15, “To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.”
Ἀδελφοί, κατὰ ἄνθρωπον λέγω, Adelphoi, kata anthrōpon legō, “Brothers, according to man I am speaking.” At this point in his theological argument against the judaizers, Paul was clearly changing direction. In 3:1, he referred to the believers as “foolish Galatians;” now he calls them brothers. ἀδελφός, adelphos, combines “a” denoting unity with δελφῡ́ς, delphus = “a womb,” meaning brother or near kinsman. It signifies a fellowship of life based upon identity or origin; that is, members of the same family–they were together in Christ. “According to man,” or “humanly speaking,” means using human logic that anyone would understand from everyday life to make a specific point. This should remind us that sometimes it is both necessary and acceptable to use illustrations from earthly life to drive home heavenly truth. Jesus did it many times with parables. In 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Paul talked about bringing the message of grace in plain language so it would be easily understood. In verses 14-17 of that same chapter, he explained the need for this approach, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” When we have the mind of Christ, the Holy Spirit will give us the regular words we need to communicate timeless truth.
June 7
Chapter 3, Verse 15, con’t, “To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.”
ὅμως ἀνθρώπου κεκυρωμένην διαθήκην, homōs anthrōpou kekyrōmenēn diathēkēn, “Even of man having been ratified a covenant.” In Paul’s “human example,” three key words are covenant, ratified, and annul. The first, covenant, is from διατίθημι, diatithémi, “to set out in order,” itself from dia = two, and tithemi = “to place,” hence, something placed between two. A covenant is something placed between two parties signifying an arrangement between the two–and agreement. In history, biblical and otherwise, there are three basic type of covenant: parity (or vassalor) which is generally an agreement between two “regular” people, suzerain, an agreement between kings, and suzerain-vassalor, an agreement between a kings and his subjects. The idea of cutting a covenant meant that if either party broke the parameters of the previous agreement, the violator could be cut into pieces by the violated. The first covenant in the Old Testament was between God and Noah, promising no more floods and signified by the rainbow (Genesis 6-9). The second covenant, and the one Paul referred to in his Galatians 3 argument, is God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15-17). The Hebrew word for covenant is בְּרִית, bereeth, a compact, confederacy, league (from בָּרָה, barah, to give meat, to cause to eat), this compact or covenant made by passing between pieces of flesh. The account of that covenant is Genesis 15:1-20, “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. And he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.” The great truth in this historical account is that Abraham did not actively participate in the actual making of the covenant. He fell asleep and God walked between the pieces alone, signifying that only God was responsible and able to keep the covenant–a covenant between God and man, before the Law, and eternal in nature.
June 8
Chapter 3, Verse 15, con’t, “To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.”
κεκυρωμένην…οὐδεὶς ἀθετεῖ ἢ ἐπιδιατάσσεται, kekyrōmenēn. . .oudeis athetei ē epidiatassetai, “having been ratified. . .no one sets aside or adds thereto.” The verb κυρόω, kuroó, (here kekyrōmenēn), was used concerning legal action that was meant to confirm and make legally binding. It meant to make a solemn or public validation. In this form, it is in the perfect tense, meaning that the covenant had been ratified in the past and that it was still in force and still binding on the parties involved. The point to remember is that an agreement ratified cannot be changed unless mutual consent is granted. . .this is true between men and even more true (if that is even possible) when God is involved. Another verb, ἀθετέω, atheteó, means to do away with what has been laid down (established), to set aside and regard as if it never happened, to declare invalid, or to despise. Following oudeis, it clearly means that absolutely no one, at least those who are honest and respectable, “goes back” on their word, their agreement, their covenant once it is established, especially God. The other verb ἐπιδιατάσσομαι, epidiatassetai, “adds conditions,” is used only here in the New Testament and was a secular, legal, and technical term which meant to make an addition to a will. It is similar to a modern day codicil, a legal modification. The overall point is crystal clear in the present context. If a man, who is not perfect, makes covenants and promises and keeps them, how much more will God, who is perfect, remain faithful to his covenants, including the one he made with and for Abraham?
June 9
Chapter 3, Verse 16, “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.
In verse 16, Paul moved from the human example of covenant back to the divine example of Abraham. In this instance, he was quoting from Genesis 22 and the story of Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice to God. Abraham explicitly followed (obeyed) all of God’s instructions all the way to and including raising his knife to pierce the heart of his son. At that moment, we read in Genesis 22:11-14, “But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” Then, God spoke to Abraham again, “And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:15-18). In the context of verse 17, זֶרַע, zera, (here, זַרְעֲךָ֙, zaraka) = offspring, descendants, is plural. In verse 18, the same word is used but in form, בְזַרְעֲךָ֔, bezaraka = seed, and is singular, pointing forward as indicated by Paul, as being Christ. The same word is used in Genesis 3:15 when God said he would put enmity between the seed of the serpent and the seed (singular) of Eve. Paul’s use of σπέρματι, spermati, “to the seed, and σπέρμασιν, spermasin, “it does not say to seeds,” clearly carries forth the singular idea of the Abrahamic covenant and Eve’s future “seed” to be the Messiah, who is Christ Jesus. The promise God made to Abraham, and what he said to Eve in the Garden, precede al the Law and its statutes which were fulfilled in Christ at Calvary. Jesus, and Jesus alone, is mighty to save all who believe.
June 10
Chapter 3, Verse 17, “This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.”
In order for the judaizers to make their claims, they had to ignore God’s dealings with mankind from the beginning all the way to and including Abraham and his son. These false teachers hated the idea of a Messiah like Jesus because, in their minds, he destroyed the law. On the contrary, Jesus came to fulfill the law by embodying its true meaning, demonstrating that it pointed to him and his personal work at Calvary. All those Old Testament patriarchs who died long before Moses, died in faith. Even Moses, himself, and those who followed him like king David, followed God and knew him by faith (Hebrews 11). God never put away (annulled) the agreement (covenant) he made with Abraham. The root of the problem for the judaizers and all who follow their thinking was and it self righteousness. Much of religion in the world then and now is about works, traditions, rules, and self improvement, none of which can attain true righteousness. The writer of Hebrews began by saying, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Right before the “hall of faith” in Hebrews 11, he wrote, “For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” And in verses 19 through 23, he wrote, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” This is our mandate as believers: draw near to God with a pure heart in full assurance of faith.
June 11
Chapter 3, Verse 17, con’t, “This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.”
EXCURSUS: Making Promises
The word promise (s) (d) is used about 120 times in the Bible, a few more times in the New Testament than in the Old Testament. Other words in Scripture meaning nearly or exactly the same thing are “word,” as in giving your word, “oath,” as in making a pledge, and, of course, covenant. The idea of making a promise has reciprocal effect–for the one making the promise and the one to whom it was made. The outcome (whether or not a promise is kept) says much about the character of the one promising something. When God is in the equation, and he always is, really, we must remember he never breaks a promise, and we often do. In regard to keeping promises to God, Numbers 30:2, says, “If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” Deuteronomy 23:22-23, “But if you refrain from vowing, you will not be guilty of sin. You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.” And Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 teaches, “When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.” In Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus advised against oaths, but emphasized the when a person says “yes,” they should be true to their word and fulfill their promises. Then, when we consider the promises of God, we must remember that we are able to realize how he works out his will in us, through us, and for us, by faith (Romans 4:13-25). When Paul wrote about God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants, culminating in the life and work of Christ, he said, “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:20-21). Abraham had complete confidence and no doubt. When we make promises, especially to those near and dear to us, they should be able to have the same sort of confidence that we will keep our promises and do what we say we will do. Do not make a promise if you have no intention to keep it.
June 12
Chapter 3, Verse 18, “For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.”
εἰ γὰρ ἐκ νόμου ἡ κληρονομία, οὐκέτι ἐξ ἐπαγγελίας, ei gar ek nomou hē klēronomia ouketi ex epangelias, “if for by [the] Law [is] the inheritance, [it is] no longer by a promise.” Paul began verse 18 with “for” to indicated he was now giving the reason for his statement in verse 17 that God has not annulled, altered, or changed his promise in any way. The noun κληρονομία, kléronomia, “inheritance,” is naturally derived from κληρονόμος, kléronomos, “heir.” Used earlier in the Gospels and Acts, this single use in Galatians clearly equates an inheritance from God with the promise he made to Abraham. Simply put, an inheritance is that (part of a whole) which is distributed by lot and so refers to a portion one receives from another. In the New Testament, thought, the idea of receiving “by lot” is not present. Rather, as is the case here, the inheritance given to Abraham is righteousness–given because of his faith and resulting in his privilege of living with God eternally in heaven (This is eternal security of the believer). Practically speaking, what Abraham received was the presence of the Holy Spirit in his life–that which all believers receive the moment they trust Jesus as Savior and Lord.
June 13
Chapter 3, Verse 18, con’t, “For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.”
Abraham received his inheritance (the presence of the Holy Spirit and much more) by faith. Abraham believed God (the promise) and it was counted to him as righteousness. Jesus came to fulfill the law, be the completion of the promise, and provide the way of salvation for all who believe. So, were does that place believers like you and me in the equation of an inheritance? Paul directly addressed this in Romans 8:12-17, “So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” When he says we are debtors, the word is ὀφειλέτης, opheiletés = “obligation.” Our obligation is to walk in the spirit and not in the flesh because we are saved. And it shows in our lives. . .”For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Further, we have no reason to walk in fear in this life because we have been adopted into God’s family. That means we are permanently a part of the heavenly host. The result. . .we are heirs, but not just heirs, we are συνκληρονόμοι, synklēronomoi, “joint-heirs” with Christ. That means we have already been given much by God: salvation, freedom, hope, etc., and there is much more to come–living in the presence of God, a new body, and access to all that heaven holds. The apostle Peter expressed it this way, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1Peter 1:3-5).
June 14
Chapter 3, Verse 19, “Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.
Τί οὖν ὁ νόμος, Ti oun ho nomos, “Why then the Law?” Paul knew they were going to ask this question, so he stayed ahead of them by asking himself. Remember, Paul was one of them, a Pharisee who actually considered himself blameless until he met Christ is the free pardon of sin (Philippians 3:3-7). As he continually contrasted law and grace, works and faith, he was attempting to get them to see what the Law could not do. In the first 18 verse of Galatians 3, he made for unmistakable remarks concerning the Law. First, the law was incapable of bring the Holy Spirit into one’s life (3:-15). Second, the law is unable to provide righteousness for anyone (3:6-9). Third, the law can do nothing to justify a person before God. By its very nature, in can only condemn (3:10-12). Fourth, the Law cannot change the eternal reality that righteousness only comes to a person by faith in God’s promises (3:15-18). The law only shows us who we really are: vile, condemned, unjust sinners. The revealed promise of God in Jesus shows us who we can be by faith: saved members of the body of Christ.
June 15
Chapter 3, Verse 19, con’t, “Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.
ἄχρις οὗ ἔλθῃ τὸ σπέρμα ᾧ ἐπήγγελται, archris hou elthē to sperma hō epēngeltai, “until that should have come the seed to whom the promise has been made.” The Law was added (given) to reveal sin and the inadequacies of man to gain righteousness as opposed to Abraham who knew God completely and simply by faith. And, the Law was “put in place” by angels and Moses. The promise was given directly to Abraham by God. The Law came to the people through intermediaries. The Law has no direct connection to salvation as claimed by the judaizers–the promise does. The promise is the “seed,” the Lord Jesus Christ. The Law said stand off–the Hebrew people could not approach God directly at Sinai, the Tabernacle, or in the Temple. The promise, grace, says come near–when Jesus died on the Cross at Calvary, the veil in the Temple was torn right down the middle so all could see inside. By grace, through faith in Jesus, everyone who believes has direct access to the throne room of God. The lesson here is simple for those who believe–PRAY and expect great things. Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:16-21, “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
June 16
Chapter 3, Verse 20, “Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.”
ὁ δὲ μεσίτης ἑνὸς οὐκ ἔστιν, ho de mesitēs henos ouk estin, “However a mediator of one [person] not is.” This can be a difficult verse if it is overthought. the noun μεσίτης, mesités, from μέσος, mesos = middle or in the midst, is generally translated mediator with idea of a go-between, spokesman, or one who reconciles. So a mediator is a person who stand between two others, either to restore a broken relationship or to form (broker) a deal (compact, ratify a covenant). The use of the word here is generic, not specifically pointing to a certain mediator, but it is intended to be understood as Moses in the present context (vs. 19, intermediary). The go-between, who “stands in the midst” of two parties, is seeking a settlement that will satisfy both. God (the first party) gave the Law to the Hebrew people (the second party) through Moses. Man was obligated to obey the law. God would bless if man obeyed, and he would punish disobedience. Know that man would not/could not perfectly obey the law, God planned for another mediator, a perfect one. His name is Jesus and only he can righteously and justly stand between God and man, being the substitute for man’s disobedience (sin). “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
June 17
Chapter 3, Verse 20, con’t, “Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.”
ὁ δὲ Θεὸς εἷς ἐστιν, ho de Theos heis estin, “but God one is.” The Mosaic covenant was not inferior in and of itself because it was sanctioned and given by God–through the mediator, Moses. But, that is what made it inferior to the Abrahamic covenant. “God is one” simply means there was no mediator between Abraham and God. We must remember that God walked alone in the smoke between the stacks of burning flesh. He, alone, stood good for the covenant bearing all the responsibility. And that is exactly why Jesus could be a mediator. We read in John 10:22-30, “At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” 100% God, and at the same time 100% man, Jesus lived a sinless life, fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17), and gave himself as a ransom for sin (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). While the Law had all sorts of conditions, grace is unconditional, unmerited, but available to all who believe (Galatians 3:6, Romans 4:3. Jesus made this perfectly clear when he said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
June 18
Chapter 3, Verse 21, “Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.”
Paul asked a question, answered it (from his point of view), and then explained the answer. But why find it necessary to ask such a question after the explanation in verses 15-20? It was because of those with whom he was dealing. The judaizers, members of the circumcision party, self-righteous Jews at the end of the day, were spiritually blind zealots. Paul described their predicament in Romans 10:1-4, “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” They could not understand that law and grace could not be opposed (contrary, κατά, kata = against) to each other. Why? They cannot stand in opposition because both are from God and and he cannot work against himself. The promise of Abraham was/is secure in the mind of God. It is fulfilled in Christ. The law, on the other hand, sometimes called a “school teacher” to the truths of the New Testament, was given to expose sin and point people to the promise. In the vernacular, Paul’s certainly not was “NO WAY!” We need the law to understand our personal need for salvation, which is only found in Jesus.
June 19
Chapter 3, Verse 21, con’t, “Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.”
εἰ γὰρ ἐδόθη νόμος ὁ δυνάμενος ζωοποιῆσαι, ὄντως ἐκ νόμου ἂν ἦν ἡ δικαιοσύνη, ei gar edothē nomos ho dynamenos zōopoiēsai, ontōs ek nomou an ēn hē dikaiosynē, “If for had been given a law being able to impart life, indeed from out of [the] Law would have emerged righteousness.” “If a law had been given” offers the clear implication that no such law was given–or even had the possibility of existing. δύναμαι, dunamai, to be able or to be possible (here dynamenos), “was able” in the context, means to have innate ability to accomplish something; here it would mean to have the power to save sinners. So dunamai means the Law was absolutely not able to justify. ζῳοποιέω, zóopoieó, from zoos = alive, and poieo = to make, means to restore life. In the New Testament, it usually refers to God resurrecting someone from death or regenerating them from spiritual death. Clearly, Paul meant the Law had no inherent ability to give life. Once again, Paul was making the point that if the Law could justify, it would stand in opposition to the promise and make the promise useless (2:21). Romans 3:20-22, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.” The Law bears witness to God righteousness, but it cannot supply it. Only through believing (trusting) faith in Jesus can God’s righteousness be applied to a sinner’s life and make him right before God. And in Romans 3:28, Paul succinctly states, “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”
June 20
Chapter 3, Verse 22, “But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”
ἀλλὰ συνέκλεισεν ἡ γραφὴ τὰ πάντα ὑπὸ ἁμαρτίαν, alla synekleisen hē graphē ta panta hypo hamartian, “but imprisoned the Scripture things all under sin.” alla, “but,” at eh beginning of this verse is a conjunction that, in this context, means “on the contrary.” So, Paul is contrasting the end of verse 21, “then righteousness would indeed be by the law” with the reality that the Law did not clear the way to righteousness but, rather, was an obstacle to righteousness trapping everyone under sin. And everyone, in Greek, means all without exception. This idea of being imprisoned, συγκλείω, sugkleió, from sun = together, and kleio = shut, so “shut up together,” is akin to being thrown in a dark, damp dungeon where the key has been thrown away. Under the Law, everyone is completely and utterly trapped by the insurmountable weight of sin. Under grace, by faith in Jesus, the weight is lifted and we are set free. This is why Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:25-30).
June 21
Chapter 3, Verse 22, con’t, “But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”
ἵνα ἡ ἐπαγγελία, ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δοθῇ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν, hina hē epangelia, ek pisteōs Iēsou Christou dothē tois pisteuousin, “so that the promise by faith [in] Jesus Christ might be given to those believing.” One of Paul’s favorite grammatical instruments is the “hina clause.” It is essentially a subordinate clause that uses the Greek particle ἵνα, hina, to express purpose or result. He used it here to convey both. The purpose of the Law imprisoning all people under the power of sin is so that (result) all might hear the gospel, believe it, and receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. The judaizers, and nonbelievers in general, might find the Law and grace at odds with one another. But they are not. Just as Romans 3:10-12 says, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one,” and Romans 6:23 begins, “For the wages of sin is death,” it ends with “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Not just the Law of Moses, but all laws are put in place to keep us “in line.” But grace does away with the line and sets us free to follow God in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit so that, supernaturally, we begin to focus on with is right. Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” That is the result of believing.
June 22
Chapter 3, Verse 23, “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.”
Πρὸ τοῦ δὲ ἐλθεῖν τὴν πίστιν, Pro tou de elthein tēn pistin, “Before now came faith” The use of the definite article τὴν, tēn, before πίστιν, pistin, “faith,” makes this literally “before the faith came,” linking it to verse 22 and personal faith in Jesus as Savior. This faith is intrinsically identical to the faith of Abraham (Genesis 15:6, Hebrews 11:8-10), but it is different in that Abraham was looking forward (believing the promise) and after Calvary everyone is looking back (the fulfillment of the promise). Those of us who have trusted in Jesus have looked back to, and accepted, the historic Christ, while Abraham and all like him who believed were looking to the prophetic Christ. Faith did not begin at the Cross, it began in Genesis as soon as man fell in sin and God gave the first sign that a redeemer would come and crush sin (Genesis 3:15). Paul wrote in Romans 8:3-4, “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Those who claim Christ must be careful to understand what it means to walk in the Spirit.
June 23
Chapter 3, Verse 23, “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.”
ὑπὸ νόμον ἐφρουρούμεθα, συνκλειόμενοι εἰς τὴν μέλλουσαν πίστιν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι, hypo nomon ephrouroumetha, synkleiomenoi eis tēn mellousan pistin apokalyphthēnai, “under the Law we were held in custody, having been locked up until the being about faith to be revealed.” In his commentary on Galatians (c. 1535), Martin Luther wrote, “The Law is a prison to those who have not yet obtained grace.” Paul used descriptive terms to explain this idea in these two phrases of verse 23. He wrote, “under the Law…ephrouroumetha…we were held in custody,” a form of φρουρέω, phroureó = “to pay attention to something,” based on phrousos = “a sentinel,” or one who stands guard. It was sometimes used as a metaphor for a strong fortress with thick, impenetrable walls. Immediately afterward, he wrote the word synkleiomenoi, “having been locked up;” the core meaning was to enclose or shut up so as to deny access behind a locked door (think dungeon). The Law showed man where he fell short of God’s righteousness; it accused and condemned; it had no power to redeem; and it trapped the hearts and minds of those who tried to keep it and failed. So, it was not until grace was revealed in Christ that everyone could realize freedom and salvation was available to all who believe. The gospel takes our eyes of the prison door and place them squarely on Jesus who alone can take away the judgment of sin and replace it with the joy of salvation. The gift of grace, when accepted by faith, overcomes the guilt of sin.
June 24
Chapter 3, Verse 24, “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.”
ὥστε ὁ νόμος παιδαγωγὸς ἡμῶν γέγονεν, hōste ho nomos paidagōgos hēmōn gegonen, “so that the Law trainer of us has become.” In verse 19, Paul asked the question, “Why then the law?” Verse 24 is the last part of his answer. Hoste, from hos + te = “so to,” or therefore; i.e., because of all that was offered in verses 19 through 23, “the law is our trainer. . .paidagogos = an instructor or schoolmaster. This noun combines παῖς, pais = child, and ἄγω, ägō = to bring or to lead; hence, “child-leader,” or a servant in a household tasked with taking children to school and, figuratively, a tutor. That servant on behalf of the head of the household (the father) was authorized to train (bring up) the children by administering discipline and instruction–doing what was necessary to promote development (learning). Paul was saying that the Law as tutor/trainer kept watch over the people to bring to the place of understanding that Christ is the way to real life. In order to realize our need for a Savior, we must first be confronted by the condemnation of sin. That is what the Law did. Grace, then, brings us to God in his own righteousness through Jesus.
June 25
Chapter 3, Verse 24, “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be .”
EXCURSUS — What does it mean to be justified by faith?
In the study of theology, especially among Protestants, being justified by faith means that a sinner is declared righteous and acceptable before God not based on their own goodness or inherent righteousness, but solely on the basis of their faith in the work of Jesus Christ; i.e., his sinless life, vicarious death, and victorious resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
This doctrine has 5 key elements.
1- It is a legal declaration – justification is understood as a “forensic” or legal term. It is a declaration from God, like a judge in a courtroom declaring someone “not guilty,” even though they are indeed sinners.
2- It is about imputation – instead of looking at a person’s sin, God imputes or credits to them the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. This means God sees the believer as righteous in Christ’s sight, not based on their own performance, but on Christ’s perfect obedience and sacrifice.
3- It is received by faith – this righteousness is not earned or achieved through human effort. It’s a gift from God, received solely through faith, which is an active trust and reliance on Jesus Christ and His work on the cross.
4- It is distinct from sanctification – while justification is a one-time event, sanctification is the ongoing process of becoming more like Christ in our character and behavior. Justification gives us the standing before God, while sanctification is the outworking of that relationship.
5- It is “faith alone” but not “faith that is alone” – justification is by faith alone (sola fide). This means works do not cause justification, but true, saving faith will inevitably produce good works as a natural consequence. Good works are the fruit of justification, not the cause of it.
Simply put, being justified by faith means God declares a sinner righteous because they have put their trust in Jesus Christ and His righteousness, not because of anything they have done or can do themselves.
Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
June 26
Chapter 3, Verse 25, “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,”
ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς πίστεως, elthousēs de tēs pisteōs, “Having come now the faith.” For about 4,000 years, those who walked with God, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Joshua, David, and many, many more, looks and waited for the promise to appear. The prophet Isaiah, in poetic style, wrote eloquently about the coming promise, Jesus, in chapter 53 of his letter, “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:1-6). The prophet knew in his heart that, when the promised Messiah appeared, he would suffer and die for the sin of mankind. The Greek verb ἔρχομαι, erchomai, means to come, to appear, to enter, to arrive. When Paul used the form elthousēs, “Having come,” he was declaring that Jesus, who fulfilled the Law and satisfied God’s requirement to bring righteousness to those who believe, had indeed come to save those who would trust in him by faith, and faith alone. And when faith in Christ invades the human experience, that same faith bring the presence of the Holy Spirit into everyday life. We must remember that while faith alone in Christ alone saves, that is not the end of the story. Paul wrote in Romans 8:14-17, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Now that faith has come our way, we have the privilege fo walking with God and telling others about his marvelous grace.
June 27
Chapter 3, Verse 25, “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,”
οὐκέτι ὑπὸ παιδαγωγόν ἐσμεν, ouketi hypo paidagōgon esmen, “no longer under a trainer are we.” For many years, I was a fitness coach. I taught at the church I pastored, in a commercial gym, and one-on-one. But before I trained, I was a trainee. Two great fitness coaches pushed me to my limits and encouraged me to help others. After formal training, I started working with others, no longer needing a coach myself. Knowing what was necessary to get fit and stay fit, and how to live a healthy life, I began to share what I knew so that others could take advantage of what had learned and practiced. Likewise, the Law was a teacher/trainer. I took people as far as it could, pointed out sin, depended on Levitical priests for temporary engagement with God, but could not carry the people across the “finish line.” Jesus came as the ultimate teacher. He showed everyone he met what it means to live righteously. But hard as those who followed him may try, they could not be righteous by doing or being different. All they could do was trust him. He taught about sacrifice and service; he served those around him, and became the ultimate sacrifice. Then he defeated death as he said he would and made salvation available to all who believe; that is, to everyone who puts their complete trust in him as Savior and Lord. The old teacher is still there reminding us about sin, but Jesus lives to lead us to eternal life and a right-now life worth living.
June 28
Chapter 3, Verse 26, “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
Πάντες γὰρ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ ἐστε διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, Pantes gar huioi Theou este dia tēs pisteōs en Christō Iēsou, “All for sons of God you are through faith in Christ Jesus.”
For, γὰρ, gar, is a conjunction assigning reason; what follows it explains a previous statement; in this case, faith following and being superior to the Law and its requirements. Many of the non-believing Jews wanted to find a righteous relationship with God through their works. Paul wrote in Romans 10:1-3, “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.” Paul made it plain they could not. In his gospel, John wrote, “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Hence, Paul’s statement, “you [who are believers] are all [Jews and Gentiles] sons [children] of God, through faith [through faith alone without works].” Throughout time as we know it, from Eden forward, there has really only been two kinds of people–not referring to Jew and Gentile–those who follow God in faith and those who do not. When Paul was confronted by Jewish false prophet and a magician on Cyprus, who were trying to turn someone away from faith, Luke wrote, “But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?” (Acts 13:9-10) The who reject Jesus as Savior and Lord will always attempt to corrupt the truth and those who believe it.
June 29
Chapter 3, Verse 27, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
ὅσοι γὰρ εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτίσθητε, Χριστὸν ἐνεδύσασθε, hosoi gar eis Christon ebaptisthēte, Christon enedysasthe, “As man as for into Christ you where baptized, Christ you have put on.” Here we see gar again, offering explanation concerning the result of exercising saving faith. “You were baptized into Christ”. . .the word βαπτίζω, baptizo’, simply means to immerse. Here, it clearly cannot refer to water baptism because that would make it essential to salvation and Paul went to great lengths to explain that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone, plus and minus nothing. Concordantly, it must be metaphorical, referring to the supernatural transaction that occurs when we accept Christ and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. In other words, at the very moment of conversion/regeneration, we are immersed spiritually into the body of Christ; he becomes our spiritual identity now and forever. Paul wrote to the Colossian believers, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” He is our hope for all we are and are becoming in Christ is bound up in him.
June 30
Chapter 3, Verse 28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Three times in this verse, οὐκ ἔνι, ouk eni, is repeated, “Neither there is.” It means “there does not exist,” pointing to the fact of impossibility. James wrote, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” The word “variation” is verse 17, παραλλαγὴ, parallagē, simply put, means “does not change”, or there is no difference. In Colossians 3:11, Paul wrote, “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.” Clearly, the implication in all this is that with God there are no favorites–no distinction–in how he deals with and saves those who trust Jesus. “Neither Jew nor Greek”. . .there is no national, ethnic distinction. “Neither slave nor free”. . .there is no advantage on the social ladder. “No male of female”. . .there is no superiority of sex. In fact, Christianity lifted women to a place they had never been before (except for Eden). Jesus removed all the prejudices and placed everyone on equal footing before God–and yet, we all stand as individuals with the responsibility to think for ourselves and choose. The only right choice is to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord and live with God in eternity, forever.
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